Hello readers!
In an effort to give myself something to write about here on Substack, I’ve been thinking about creating a regularish listical of bits of beauty I’m discovering.
Inspired by my wife I’ve started an art journal this summer. I used to love sketching when I was younger but drifted away from it, and I’m hoping this fun experiment might reawaken my visual art side.
Jen and I just finished watching Ted Lasso Season 3 and I thought it was just lovely. We’ve also started watching the sci-fi series Silo (which is like a claustrophobic post-apocalyptic murder mystery) and Foundation (based on Isaac Asimov’s book series).
We also just saw Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in theaters last week which was absolutely amazing and a great sequel to Into the Spider-Verse. I can’t wait to see the end of Miles’ journey with Beyond the Spider-Verse.
On a whim this past weekend I decided to play a random indie video game called Firewatch that was on sale through Playstation for a few bucks. The premise: The year is 1989. You are a man named Henry who has retreated from your messy life to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. Perched atop a mountain, it's your job to find smoke and keep the wilderness safe. An especially hot, dry summer has everyone on edge. Your supervisor, a woman named Delilah, is available to you at all times over a small, handheld radio—and is your only contact with the world you've left behind. But when something strange draws you out of your lookout tower and into the world below, you'll explore a wild and unknown environment, facing questions and making interpersonal choices that can build or destroy the only meaningful relationship you have.
I finished it last night and can I just say I WAS QUIETLY EMOTIONALLY DEVASTATED BY THIS GAME.
This fall I’m preparing to teach a new theme for my regular intro to lit class. The class is going to be titled “The End of the World As We Know It” and I’m going to be exploring the idea of apocalypse with my students. My idea for this particular semester is that instead of delving into typical apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic literature (and there is so, so, so much) I’m trying to hew as much as possible to historical events where people thought their world was ending. I’ve been plowing through so many great books trying to figure out what I want to use, and as of right now I’m planning to use Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A.S. Byatt, The Last Hours by Minette Walters (about the Black Plague), and A Children’s Bible by Lydia Millet. I’m also currently reading Stormy Weather by Paulette Jiles (about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl) which is a strong contender for the class.
Somehow this past week I stumbled across the fact that, before he became popular as Bon Iver, Justin Vernon had a band called DeYarmond Edison. I’ve really been enjoying listening to their only album Silent Signals.
That’s all for now. I’ll probably share more next month!
Love that twist on your apocalypse class!!